J.K. Rowling responds to Donald Trump making major women's health decision in room full of men

By Natalie Cornish| 2 years ago

New U.S President Donald Trump signed an executive order on abortion yesterday — without a single woman present and there's been uproar on Twitter.

Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy — also known as the 'Global Gag Rule' — to ban federal money from funding health clinics that perform or "actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations" surrounded by eight male members of his staff.

A rule stopping U.S money from being spent on abortion procedures overseas has been in place since 1973, but this legislation — originally introduced by Ronald Reagan and reinstated by George Bush — goes further by withdrawing funding for clinics who offer any form of abortion service. That includes providing medical information to pregnant women on abortion or offering counselling. Barack Obama ended the policy in 2009.

J.K. Rowling led the backlash on social media. An outspoken opponent of the new President, she tweeted findings from a report by independent American reproductive research and policy organisation, The GuttMacher Institute which she says shows that the order "risks the lives of some of the poorest women in the world".

The new President's press secretary, Sean Spicer said Trump "wants to stand up for all Americans, including the unborn". He has previously said he supports an abortion ban exception for "rape, incest and the life of the mother".

But, pro-choice groups have voiced their concerns over the order just days after millions of people around the world marched to protect women's rights under the Republican administration.

"It's telling that one of Trump's first executive actions combines two of his favourite things: silencing anyone who disagrees with him and repressing women", Naral Pro-Choice America said in a statement.

The World Health Organisation says there are more than 36 million abortions in the third world every year — and 21 million of these are unsafe. They account for thirteen percent of maternal deaths in developing countries.

Congress recently voiced its intention to withdraw funding for US family planning clinics too.